The river Ganga

dasa · February 19, 2002

Ganga-mayi travels far beyond our understanding and reach, butfrom a practical viewpoint, we can understand her more reasonably by observing her decent onto this planet in the Himalayas and her course through three states of India, as well as Bangladesh. In the Padma Purana it is stated that the area within three yojanas (24 miles)on either side of Ganga's banks is considered Siddha-ksetra, whereone can easily attain perfection and return to the spiritual world, Vaikunthaloka. Regardless of where one may perform worship, prayer, or both, practically every square metre is as sacred as the next, from the begining in Gomukha to Ganga-sagara, where she meats the Bay of Bengal. Srila Prabhupada had commented on how foolish it was that the residents of Calcutta travel all the way to Haridvara fora bath, when Ganga is already flowing through Calcutta! If one has the proper consciousness to meditate on the Ganga-mayi, wherever that person may be, it is as good as being within Sidha-ksetra. (from Our Merciful Mother Ganga by Jaya Vijaya)

Gauracandra · February 19, 2002

Thanks for that. I met this Jaya Vijaya Prabhu a few months back. He was traveling through and I gave him a donation - for which he gave me a copy of his book on Mother Ganga. It is a very handsome book - good binding, nice pictures, and very detailed. I gave it as a gift to a friend, but now I wish I had a copy for myself Posted Image I remember he showed us his trip up to the source of the Ganges, and it made me want to just chuck it all, get on a plane and head to India, to travel up the Ganges myself.

Gauracandra

dasa · February 20, 2002

In the Mahabharata, it is mentioned that while Ganga was going to Mount Kailasa, Vasistha Muni diverted some of her waters into Manasa-sarovara, but Ganga broke the bank of the lake and flowed forth as the River Sarayu. This short narration from the Mahabharata, as well as other spiritual references, brings us to localities on this planet; Mount Kailasa, Manasa-sarovara, and Bindusara, which are located in the Tibetan (Chinese) Himalayas. After coming from a spot named Ganga-mahadvara in the Mount Kailasa region through the mercy of Lord Siva, Ganga branches into seven main rivers flowing through India. The Yamuna, Sarasvati, Vitasta, Sarayu, Gomati, Ganga, and Gandaki Rivers. It is mentioned in the Brahma-vaivarta Purana that after this age of Kali has progressed 10,000 years (5,000 years of Kali-yuga have alrady passed) Ganga and other holy rivers will go underground, as the River Sarasvati has already done, and wait untill the next golden age of Satya-yuga. (from the book Our Merciful Mother Ganga by Jaya Vijaya)

dasa · February 21, 2002

In theBrahma-vaivarta Purana, Narada Muni inquires from Narayana Rsi regarding how Ganga came to be in the material world. Narayana Rsi replied, "O Narada, previously Ganga-devi was living in Goloka as a gopi (cowherd girl). Her form as water appeared from the limbs of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, as she is identical to Them. She then came in her liquid form to the earth. Previously in Goloka, there was no comparison of Ganga-devi's beauty. Her body was filled with fresh youth, and she was decorated with beautiful ornaments. Her face blossomed like a lotus in the mid-afternoon of Sarat(the autumn season). Her complexion was like the yellow campaka flower, and she had a form of pure goodness. Her hair was decorated with sweet smelling malati flowers. "As she once shyly sat near Lord Krsna, her eyes became intoxicated drinking the nectar of Krsna's beauty. Just then, Srimati Radharani arrived and also sat near Lord Krsna. She was accompanied by innumerable gopis. Her beauty put to shame the splendor of millions of moons. At that time, Radharani's eyes began to appear like red lotuses as She exhibited Her pastime of anger. Her complexion was like molten gold. She was decorated with many beautiful ornaments, and She wore a garland of parijata flowers. Due to Her anger, Her lips started shaking as She sat closer to Lord Krsna. At that time, the gopis were extremely frightened. They all offered their obeisances to Radharani and Krsna. Ganga also stood up and began offering prayers to Radharani. She was filled with fear and inquired about Radharani's welfare. Within her mind, Ganga-devi took shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. Then the lord consoled Ganga within her heart, so she became sober-minded. Ganga then observed Radharani sitting on the raised asana, Her body filled with transcendental effulgence. Her youthfulness was that of a sixteen year old. She is the mother of the universe and the life air of Lord Krsna. O Narada, seeing the beauty of Srimati Radharani, Ganga was unable to take her eyes off Her effulgent form. Then Radharani spoke to Lord Krsna with pleasing words, "Who is this Ganga-devi, who is glancing at your beautiful face without blinking? She is filled with the desire to be with You, as Your beauty has totally stunned her. Each of her limbs are filled with immense happiness. It has become her nature to gaze at You with such crooked eyes, and You are also engaged in the same way." Radharani wanted to say something to Ganga, but Ganga was able to understand everything. Thus Ganga transformed herself into water and entered into the lotus feet of Lord Krsna for protection. Understanding the secret between Krsna and Ganga, Radharani wanted to drink the entire Ganga. At that time water throughout the entire universe dried up. Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, and all the demigods arrived to offer obeisances and prayers to Lord Krsna. The Lord than began to speak, "O Brahma, I know why you are praying. You desire to take Ganga with you, but she has now taken shelter of My lotus feet because Radharani was ready to drink her up. I will be pleased to give her to you, but you must first make her fearless and peaceful." Hearing these words of Lord Krsna, Brahma began to smile. Then all the demigods started to praise Srimati Radharani. Brahma said to Her, "This same Ganga had previously appeared from the bodies of both You and Krsna, when you were both in the rasa-mandala. Ganga is ment for your worship. Please allow this Ganga, as she is in Goloka, to be distributed everywhere for the benefit of everyone. You are her mother, and she is eternally Your daughter." Radharani was pleased with Brahma's prayers and accepted his request. Just then, Ganga appeared from the toes of Lord Krsna. Brahma took that water into his kamandalu (waterpot), and Shiva accepted the same water on his head. Then Lord Krsna instructed Brahma "You accept Ganga, and I will prepare kala (time) again for creation. You proceed to began creation again, then Ganga will come to your abode. Now move forward and carry out this order." Narayana Rsi continued to Narada Muni, "O great sage, after Brahma set forth creation again, Ganga entered the material universe and went wherever she was ordered by the Supreme Lord." (from the book Our Merciful Mother Ganga by Jaya Vijaya)

[This message has been edited by dasa (edited 02-21-2002).]

Tarun · February 21, 2002

gange ca yamune caiva, godAvari sarasvati

narmade sindho kAveri, jale'sminn sannidhiM kuru

Extremely foolish devotees who know nothing about Veda, VedAnta or VaiSNavism are directly or indirectly supporting Amerika's present-day exploitation of Afghanisthan, Bangladez, India, Pakisthan.

According to Arundhati Roy, NarmadA River is Wash DC's next target.

Under DC influence India's about to build hundreds of dams including 23 major dams. Progress you say?

These 23 + hundreds more will displace 33 million (low estimate) to 56 million (high estimate) villagers.

Villagers who never required Amerika's help for anything, what to speak of our demoniac Bushwhacker-Chaineygang regime in charge today.

Some much for our celebrated Strategic US Foreign Aid program which doesn't even serve us = US.

Bring back King Vena please: anyone besides Bushel!!

dasa · April 26, 2002

Another important holy place is Gangotri near the source of the sacred Ganges River. Below you can see it as it forcibly descends down through the mountains and over the Sahasradhara Falls on its way through the hills and to the plains of India.

Posted Image

[This message has been edited by dasa (edited 04-26-2002).]

dasa · April 26, 2002

The Disappearance of the Ganges-from Stephen Knapp

As reported in an article by Charles Arthur in the June 8, 1999 edition of The Independent in England, new information has been gathered by scientists at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, India, regarding how the glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating. As we had explained, the glacier above Gangotri, from which the Ganges River starts, has retreated about one kilometer in the past 20 years or so. In fact, it has been determined that these glaciers are retreating faster than anywhere else on the planet. Professor Syed Hasnain, the main author of the report, relates that all of the glaciers in the middle Himalayas are retreating. He warns that many of the glaciers in this region could disappear by 2035. New fears are that the meltwater could produce catastrophic floods as mountain lakes overflow.

As I explained in a previous book, The Vedic Prophecies: A New Look into the Future, the Vedic texts reveal that such holy rivers as the Ganges will dry up and become only a series of small lakes, at best. In this way, they may practically disappear, as did the Sarasvati River. This latest report surely seems to show the possibility of this happening sooner than expected. This also shows the reason that the origination mouth of the Ganges, at the ice cave called Gaumukh above Gangotri, is retreating farther away as the years go by. So those travelers who wish to journey to this mouth of the holy Ganga will have to travel farther up into the hills as time goes by. This also indicates why this mouth of the Ganges is always changing in its appearance.

Getting back to the way the glaciers are retreating, at the University of Colorado in Boulder, a research team has found that the mountain glaciers are diminishing in the West as well. The Alps have lost nearly 50% of their ice in the last 100 years. The Major glacier at Mt. Kenya has lost 8% of its size, and 14 of the 27 glaciers in Spain are gone.

The disappearing of the mountain glaciers is also reported in an article by Lily Whiteman in the January/February issue of National Parks. It stated that there were more than 150 glaciers in Glacier National Park in Montana back in 1850. Now there are only 50, and it is expected that these will also disappear within the next four decades. This is primarily blamed on the increase in global temperatures by only one degree since the 1800's. Glaciers, because of being too solid and stable to show short-term variations in climate, are particularly good barometers of global warming.

In regard to the Vedic tradition, it explains that the Ganges fell from heaven to earth and was caught on the head of Lord Shiva. This was to prevent the intense damage that the force of it would cause to the earth if it fell directly on to the planet. This took place at Gangotri, where the water backed up into the mountains where much of it froze. The course of the Ganges is said to still flow through the universe and come down to the earth planet. However, much of the river water comes from underneath the glacier. If the glacier at Gaumukh does continue to recede or melt away, and if the Ganges would ever cease its flow or begin to dry up, it would certainly mean the end of an era and a drastic affect on the spiritual culture as we have known it in India. Indeed, it would never be the same.

[This message has been edited by dasa (edited 04-27-2002).]